Events

Members

To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

With training camp set to begin in earnest this week, we take a look at where the St. Louis Rams stand in relation to the salary cap.

The team has all of its draft picks signed and a little (very little) wiggle room to make some additions should it want but it should be in good position to enter the season without having to make any sort of money-driven decisions to clear space.

All numbers below courtesy of ESPN Stats and Information and based on the current salary cap structure of taking the top 51 contracts on the roster.

Adjusted cap: $131,823,529

Team cap: $123,492,826

Dead money: $6,332,753

Cap space: $1,997,950

Thoughts: Usually, teams around the league work to keep around $2-3 million available under the cap in case of injuries, emergencies and to pay the practice squad. As it stands, the Rams have about enough for that but this doesn't account for the two additional contracts that will land on the roster when the league starts counting the top 53 contracts. However, the bump there probably won't be very much as players making a little more could get cut and the ones added likely won't be making more than the minimum. Essentially, it will take some of the cap space but it will largely come out in a wash. If the Rams want to add a veteran somewhere, like at linebacker for example, they can still make it work on a minimum deal that wouldn't push them over the top. So while the Rams are pretty snug up against the cap, they should be just fine in terms of operating moving forward though those clinging to the (unrealistic) dream of acquiring an expensive wideout like Andre Johnson can plainly see there's no way to make his deal work even if they wanted to. Also worth noting here is that the Rams will not have the $3 million salary cap offset for cornerback Cortland Finnegan. Per the league, that $3 million credit will not be applied until the 2015 league year.

And correct me if I am wrong Gentlemen, but because the Rams were so snug up against the cap they could not make the deal for Stevie Johnson who ended up with the 49ers who somehow always seem to have the room, but the Rams don't and the 49ers have to this point a better roster.

And correct me if I am wrong Gentlemen, but because the Rams were so snug up against the cap they could not make the deal for Stevie Johnson who ended up with the 49ers who somehow always seem to have the room, but the Rams don't and the 49ers have to this point a better roster.

Click to expand...

Yes they do have a better roster. But I think we're closing the gap. Were they interested in making a deal for Stevie Johnson? Or were you just using that as an example?

Yes they do have a better roster. But I think we're closing the gap. Were they interested in making a deal for Stevie Johnson? Or were you just using that as an example?

Click to expand...

They should have been interested and I think they were, but could not make it work because of the cap. I realize the 49ers had an advantage because they had not signed Kaepernick yet, but I would've traded a 4th round pick for Stevie Johnson in a nanosecond. Just pisses me off the 49ers keep adding the likes of Boldin last year and Johnson this year!

And BTW as to closing the gap I feel like LBJ during Vietnam when it comes to the 49ers.... "We're winning, but we're losing."

According to overthecap.com, Mikell's hit is gone already and the $6mil is Finnegan. Then there's some small hits like $175k from Cudjo, $95k Rok Watkins, Richardson $23k, then a few $10k and less (undrafted free agent bonuses). Also sadly includes Gerald Rivers $1,334 and even more sadly Philip Lutzenkirchen $2,067.